Housing for interior lighting



pri 24, 1945. s. c. MILLER 2,374,228.

HOUSING FOR NTERIOR LIGHTING Filed oct. 17, 1941 Patented Apr. 24, 1945UNITED STATES 'Y PATENT l".()FFICE j 2,374,228` HOUSING Fortnv'rintlolt'Lit,Gri'rmall samuel c. Mi11er,New.Y91-k, N. Y. IApplication october 17, 1941,' serieuse., 415,34?

7 claims. (ci. 17e-:328i

tubes wherein lighting employing gaseous dis.

charge type tubing illuminants may be conveniently used, especially forinterior illumination, and provide an insulator housing wherein surfacemounting may be effected without the hazard usually attending terminaldevices of this char acter.

More particularly my invention contemplates the provision of aninsulator housing for electrical terminals of neon lamps or similargaseous discharge tubing wherein illuminants of this character may servethe double purpose for arranging illuminating tubes in a seriesconnection or for direct connection to a transformer while mounting thesame upon a, surface, such as the wall or ceiling without employingcumbersome boxes or panels affixed to the throat of such housings.

Still more particularly, my invention has for its object the provisionof an insulator housing and terminal contact device for the purposesindicated, particularly in a gaseous discharge type of illuminant orneon tubing wherein the hazard attending the use of this device isavoided, whether high voltage or low voltage is employed.

Further objects of my invention reside in the provision of ,an insulatorhousing and terminal device for a neon sign tubing type of illuminant,which is so formed and proportioned to prevent finger access to livecontacts or connections, and which will meet with the approval of safetymeasures enforced by Underwriters Laboratories.

Still further objects of my invention reside in simple, efficient andnovel terminal mounting of the contact elements of the terminalinsulating housing of my invention and a 4coordinately constructedhousing for facilitating the mounting of said contacts. y

The attainment of the aforementioned objects will bermore particularlypointed out hereafter, or will become apparent as this descriptionproceeds.

For this purpose I make reference to the accompanying drawing, forming apart hereof, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a doubleinterior housing and terminal device in accordance with my invention; i

Figure 2 is a longitudinal. section takenfon the line 2--2 of Figure 1;l l i Figure -3 is a ,transverse Lsection taken on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1; y v`j s Figure el is a planviewof 4my device;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary bottom view, the parts being broken rvaway todisclose. the interior construction; V- f Figure 6 is a side elevationillustrating my deviceasa cableI transformer terminal housing;

Figure 7, is armagniiied fragmentary sectional view of acable terminal.i l vMaking reference t the Vdrawings, I have illustratedin Figure 1 mycombination insulator hous A ing and vterminal device I0, the shellwhereof may "be made of -any insulating material; such as porcelain,glass or the like. The housing isformed of a body portion II, havingtwincylindrical sections I2,ljoinedbya.partition I3, defining cylindricalorifices I4.. The :upper end of the cylindrical sections I2 areprovidedwith inwardly directed flanges I5, defining ar orifice I6. TheApartition 43, Ahas formed.r centrally thereof the orifice I'I,terminating in a. shoulder-I8. x The shoulder I8 is spaced from thelower edge I9 of thesections I2, providing thereby anair gap 20. Theshoulder IB is-formed with anI orifice 2l, through which is disposed aneyelet or grommet 2-2, formed with a-screw threaded orice l23, intowhich I dispose the set screw 24,'thehead of which serves to ,holdinposltionthe coiled electrode spring contacts v25, which are axiallypositioned within the orices I4 of the twinsection I2.. y

With an assembly as provided,`there is disposed a cap,26 which has aninwardly directed 1ip2l,

but otherwiseinterflts with the edge I9 of the.

housing.- The cap 26 is contoured to conform to the twinl sectionsJZandthe laterally directed ears 28 extended from the same. Complementaryorificesf29 are providedin the ears 28 and cap 2S through which`grommets or eyelets 30 are disposed, and havethe turned overv portions`3l bind- 111g the ears 28 and cap 26 to each other.

The lowermost'turned over por-tionySI. cov operates with the lugs 32 to'provide a base permitting hush-contact with some surface such as thewall ceiling bracket ofiany interior formountingvpurposes. The orificeof the grom-l mets 30 serves as` -themeansi for` fasteningV elementssuch as a screw 33 to be'disposed to enA gagement with the wall W andhold the housing in position. t j

kItis to be observed that I have referredto the flange lgasdeninganoriiioel materially l I4 of the twin .sections smaller than theorifice I2-I 2. In my construction the size of the orifice I6 is .sodisposed in relation to the position of the contacts 25 as to avoid anypossible hazard preventing finger access to the contacts 25. 'I'hespacial position of the contacts 25 from the cap 26 and the orifice I6conforms with Underwriters Laboratory safety requirements in that anadequate air gap is provided below the point of suspension of thecontacts 25, and an orifice is dimensioned in proportion to its distancefrom the contact to render finger access to a live connectionimprobable.

By my construction, wherein the orifices I4 are larger than the orificesI6, a wide tolerance for inaccuracy of bending of the glass tubing 34 ispossible. Thus, while it is intended that Where the discharge tubing 34is to be disposed to have its electrode end 35 in contact with theterminal 25 to axially position the same within the orifice f I4, shouldinaccuracy in bending or displacement caused by mounting position theelectrode end 35 to a non axial position illustrated in Figure 2, myconstruction permits of this variation without interfering with theinsulator value of the housing. Thus, by my construction full protectionagainst electrical hazards is lprovided by a housing which takes upmaterially less space than those under underwriters requirementspreviously known to me to be enforced.

While I have described and illustrated in' Figure 2 a double interiorhousing for surface mounting which is peculiarly valuable Afor neon signtubes arranged in a series connection, my housing is capable of use fora single section of tubing. For this purpose I have illustrated inFigure 6 the electrode end 36 disposed Within an orice I4 of my terminalhousing. In'the remaining orifice I4 I may dispose 'a cable 31 having acontact cap 3B for engagement of the remaining terminalv 25. This cablemay be connected to the transformer, as will be readily understood bythose skilled in the art. Y Y

lIt will thus be observed that I have provided a double interiorinsulator housing of the terminal device which is capable of utility fora variety of purposes and of such compactness as to effect economy inspace while permitting the use of the device for interior illuminationand for surface mounting of illuminating devices of the charactercontemplated. Y

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, what I claimas new and desire to secure by LettersV Patent is: v Y" 1. An electrodeinsulator housinggfor tubular gaseous illuminants comprising incombination, a body portion formed of insulator material de ning achamber open at opposite ends thereof, a partitioning element ofinsulator material dividing said chamber into twin recesses, extendingfrom adjacent the front end to a pOnt short of the back end of thechamber, leaving a shoulder adjacent one end of said chamber, whichshoulder is common to said recesses, said shoulder cooperating withfastening elements forming mounting means for metallic contacts andbeing disposed from both ends of said chamber to provide a substantialinsulating air gap to either side of said shoulder into which thecontacts extend resiliently and a cap of insulating material positionedon the back end of said body.

2. An electrode insulator housing for tubular gaseous illuminanteincluding an electrode for connection with a metallic terminal contactcarried by said housing comprising in combination, a body formed ofinsulator material defining a chamber, a longitudinally exposedpartitioning element of insulator material longitudinally dividing saidchamber into twin recesses extending lfrom adjacent the front endtowards the back end of said chamber, leaving adjacent but spaced fromthe back end of said body, a shoulder common to said recesses, saidpartition including an elongated recess therein terminating adjacentsaid shoulder and disposed in a position accessible to said front end ofthe body, said shoulder having a portion formed thereon cooperating witha fastening element serving as mounting means for the metallic terminalcontact for the electrode of said illuminant.

3. An electrode insulator housing 'for tubular gaseous illuminantecomprising, in combination a body formed of insulator material defininga chamber, a partitioning element of insulator material dividing saidchamber into twin recesses, said partitioning element being extended toleave a shoulder adjacent but spaced from one end of said chamber formedwith a longitudinally vdisposed orifice, and providing a mountingelement common to said recesses accessible through the orifice of saidpartitioning element,v and metallic contacting elements being disposedsubstantially axially in said recesses and affixed to said shoul der ataA point spaced from the bottom end of said chamber into which saidelements move for displacement axially and leaving asubstantial airgapfrom both ends of said chamber and into which the contacting elementsextend resiliently. 4. An electrode insulator housing for tubulargaseous illuminants comprising a body formed of vinsulator materialdeningra chamber, a partitioning element of insulator material adjacentone end of said chamber dividing said chamber into twin recesses,inwardly directed flanges disposed from `said body and partitioningelement forming a restricted mouth `for said recesses adjacent one end,said partitioning'element being extended short of the opposite end ofsaid chamber leaving a shoulder common to both recesses,

and providing in cooperation with fastening elements and an aperture o nsaid shoulder, mounting means for metallic contacts common to bothrecesses, the space between the shoulder and the last mentioned endproviding clearance for dis-l placement axially of said 4contacts andleaving a substantial air gap disposed said chamber.

5. An electrode insulator housing for tubular' gaseous illuminantscomprising a body formed of insulator material defining a chamber, aparu titioning element of insulator material adjacent one end of saidchamber dividing said chamber into twin recesses, inwardly directedfianges disl posed from said body and partitioning element forming arestricted mouth for said recesses adjacent one end, said partitioningelement being longitudinally extended short of the opposite end.

of said chamber, leaving a shoulder common to both recesses, andproviding in combination with a fastening element, mounting means formetallic contacts common to both recesses while leaving a substantialair gap disposed from vboth ends of said chamber, contacting elementscom.-

prising resilient branches, the end portionsy of which branchesA areanchored on said shoulder.

and a cap forming a closure for said body por-- tion, said closurehaving attaching means? con" necting the same with ears'on said bodyportion,

said closure serving as mounting meansV for said housing.

from both ends of 6. An electrode insulator housing for tubular gaseousilluminants comprising a body formed of insulator material defining achamber, a partitioning element of insulator material adjacent one endof said chamber dividing said chamber into twin recesses, inwardlydirected iianges disposed from' said body and partitioning elementforming a restricted mouth for said recesses adyjacent one end, saidpartitioning element being extended short of the opposite end of saidchambody and a cap having ears aligned with said rst ears, fasteningelements connecting said ears of said body and cap forming a closure forsaid body and a base for mounting the housing upon a surface. l

'7. An electrode insulator housing for tubular gaseous illuminantscomprising a body formed of insulator material defining a chamber openat both ends, partitioning means disposed substantialy centrally thereofdividing said chamber into twin recesses, inwardly directed flangesadjacent one end of said recesses, said partitioning means beingextended towards the opposite end of said body portion forming ashoulder common to both recesses and spaced from the end to provide asubstantial air gap, contacting elements having resiliently displaceablebranches mounted upon said shoulder, a closure adjacent said lastmentioned end including means engaging said body portion, said closurebeing formed with portions to support said housing upon a surface.

SAMUEL C. MILLER.

